A/N: Chapter four

Disclaimer- I do not ownthe Outsiders

The light came in from the window and landed on his face. The warm sunlight caused his eyes to scrunch up and awoke him from his sleep. He groaned and squinted his eyes. Ponyboy did not want to wake up, not yet. He rolled back over but sleep would not find him. Frustrated tears started to flow. He wanted to sleep, he just wanted to sleep.

He sniffled and turned over once more. He wined and looked over at his bedside table. There was a picture on it. He sniffled and tried to dry his tears. He liked the picture. The man and woman were always smiling right at him. He rubbed his eyes.

Darry said that the man and woman were their mom and dad. He didn't remember them. Darry said they were in a place called Heaven and they couldn't come back. Ponyboy didn't quite understand this but he knew they loved him still. Darry said so.

Darry walked into his brother's room but did not turn on the light. It was Saturday and he would not have to work until that evening. He yawned and stretched. He looked at his watch, 9 AM, four hours more sleep then weekdays afforded him. He also enjoyed these days.

He sat on the bed and put a hand on Ponyboy's shoulder. Ponyboy sat up. He didn't smile but he did not pout either. "Hey buddy. Good morning."

Ponyboy patted Darry's hand. "Hi." He said simply.

"Pony no center today just me and you."

"You stay with me?"

Darry smiled. "That's right buddy. No work, no center. Just me and you."

Ponyboy smiled warmly. "I'm up."

Darry ruffled his hair. "Okay kiddo. Let's get some breakfast and get you cleaned up. Would you like to go see some horses with me today?"

Ponyboy made no reply, just smiled brightly. The only thing he had gotten was that he was going to be spending the day with Darry. Saturday, though he did not call it this, was here. Ponyboy Curtis liked Saturdays or rather he liked the idea of them.

He could not tell one day of the week apart from the next but Saturdays were a little different. He knew the day simply by the fact that he did not have to go to the center. From morning until dark he was with Darry. This made Saturdays, the idea of them, very special to him. He did not know when to expect these days but when they began he was far more agreeable then on most.

Darry ruffled his hair. "Okay kiddo. Let's get some breakfast and get you cleaned up. Would you like to go see some horses with me today?"

Ponyboy made no reply, just smiled brightly. The only thing he had gotten was that he was going to be spending the day with Darry. Saturday, though he did not call it this, was here.

Breakfast for the Curtis brothers had become a simple enough affair. Darry usually had been reduced to giving his brothers dry cereal to munch on, sometimes cake. Saturdays were a little more complex. Darry had time to make sure his brother was better fed, eggs and bacon, biscuits too. He did have time week days to clean up the ensuing mess but Saturdays both boys could enjoy the meal.

Ponyboy wore a huge grin when Darry placed the food in front of him, pancakes added. He wouldn't eat half of it, Darry knew. Something weird with the part of his brain that controlled appetite, but he would love what he did eat. Besides if Ponyboy got to eat the good stuff he would too. Cooking for one was just not an option so weekdays he skimped out on breakfast as well. Ponyboy's happiness was his own.

Ponyboy grabbed a piece of bacon and took a huge bite. He tore into his eggs making a mess. "Good little buddy?" Darry laughed.

Pony dropped his spoon. "Yum."

Darry smiled warmly any moment of joy in their household was a thing of beauty. But all too soon Ponyboy had put his fork down.

"Kiddo?"

Ponyboy frowned and hugged his stomach. Darry closed his eyes. "Done eating?" his brother nodded. "Okay, okay. Come on let's get you cleaned up."

"'No bath."

"Yes bath."

Ponyboy frowned once more and crossed his arms. Darry tried to give him a smile. A smile did far more to encourage his brother than anything else.

"No."

Darry sighed. He hated this. Standing up he walked over to Ponyboy's chair. He put a hand on either shoulder. "Please kiddo. You get a bath and we can go out." Rolling his eyes at his brother's inaction Darry moved his hands from Ponyboy's shoulder to under his arms and hauled his brother up by the armpits.

Ponyboy tried to set himself back down but Darry kept a steady hand. "Okay kid,"

"Bath."

"That's more like it. Now come on."

X X X X

Washing his younger brother felt… felt undignified, almost degrading. Perhaps that was the reason Darry had always chosen to add bubbles, enough to hide parts that if Ponyboy was wholey himself, he would want covered.

Ponyboy always seemed relaxed in the warm water. Though he fought against the bath, as he did most times; now he seemed to enjoy it. He smiled as Darry rubbed his fingers, foaming the shampoo through his hair.

"Your hair is getting really shaggy kiddo." There was no reply. Sighing, Darry moved on. He took a soft wash cloth and began to cleanse his brother's body. Softly, gently, he brought the rag across the skin.

"There kiddo. No let's get you dressed and we can go out."

Ponyboy smiled. "With Darry!"

"Yeha kid," Darry gave a weary grin in return. "You and me.